The Sweeney Clan Committee has
decided to postpone the biannual Clan Rally which was due to take place this
September. It will now take place in September 2008. The four hundredth
anniversary of the Flight of the Earls celebrations which are taking place this
September at Rathmullan being the reason for the postponement. The Sweeney’s
were not involved in the actual event four hundred years ago and we have found
that there is no great enthusiasm among our members to participate, preferring
to celebrate thing which are of our clans historic origins. None of the Flight
of the Earls celebrations include Doe Castle or any of the other Sweeney sites
of interest, and we feel that in the best interest of our members we should
postpone to next year when once again we will invite all our friends from all
parts of the world to join us in Donegal for another great Sweeney Clan
Gathering. Anyone wishing to travel to the Flight of the Earls celebration will
find plenty of entertainment with the main events taking place in Rathmullan.
For further information:
http://www.flightoftheearls.ie

FLIGHT OF THE EARLS
- A Quick History -

The 400th anniversary of the Flight of
the Earls will be commemorated in Ireland this year with many celebrations being
planned all over Ireland and especially in Donegal where the event took place in
Rathmullan in 1607. Many clans in Donegal will be organizing and taking part in
the commemorations.

For those who may not be up to
speed with this great historic event, we add the following snippets for your
information.

The loss of the Battle of
Kinsale marked the defeat of the old Gaelic Ireland which led to the decision by
Earls O’Neill and O’Donnell to leave for Europe.

‘Hugh O Neill, on hearing
of the death of Red Hugh O’Donnell by poisoning in Spain, and seeing his enemies
pressing against him on every side, knew that his cause was lost. A ship was
prepared in Brussels to enable him and those closest to him, to escape from the
country, while that was still possible. The ship was brought to Rathmullan by
his close friend and fellow soldier, Hugh Maguire of Fermanagh.

O’Neill wept as he left
his castle in Dungannon for the last time and headed north to Rathmullan. He
was aged 58.’*

The Earl of Tyrconnell Rory
O’Donnell and his faithful followers were busy loading the ship with supplies
when the Earls O’Neill and O’Donnell arrived in Rathmullan. The ship flying the
French colours lay at anchor in the bay and rowing boats carried the provisions
to the ship….. and were stoned by the MacSweeneys who saw the departure as
a betrayal by O’Neill.*

*…from ‘The MacSweeneys’ by Fr.
David OFM Cap.

The company on board ship
numbered more than ninety and at midnight on September 14th 1607 they
sail from Ireland with heavy hearts.

The Annals of the Four Masters
on that date recorded:

‘That was a distinguished
company for one ship. For true it is that the sea has not borne, nor the wind
wafted from Ireland in modern times a party more eminent, illustrious and noble
than they were, in point of genealogy, or more distinguished for deeds of
renown, feats of arms, and valorous achievements. Woe to the heart that
meditated, woe to the mind that planned, woe to the counsel that determined on
that project.’